After discovering water damage in an apartment, your first priorities are electrical safety and stopping the water source, followed by notifying your landlord and documenting the damage. Structural damage is typically handled through the building's insurance, while personal liability insurance sometimes applies if you caused the damage, and household contents insurance separately covers your own belongings. This article explains how to report and dry out water damage and how the three insurance types interact.
What should I do immediately after discovering water damage in my apartment?
The first priority after discovering water damage is to check for electrical hazards before entering the affected area. If water is near outlets or appliances, switch off the electricity at the fuse box and unplug nearby appliances. Once the area is safe, stop the water source by turning off the valve behind the affected appliance, or shut off the main water supply (Hauptwasserhahn) if you cannot identify the source. For contaminated water — such as from sewage or significant flooding — do not attempt to clean up yourself; contact a professional water damage restoration service immediately.
What steps should I follow to document and report water damage?
You are legally required to notify your landlord (Vermieter) or property management company (Hausverwaltung) about water damage as soon as possible, as delays can affect your rights. Follow these steps to document and report the damage:
Call your landlord immediately if the situation is urgent.
Follow up in writing — by email or text — with the date, time, and a description of the damage.
Take timestamped photos and videos of all affected areas, including floors, walls, ceilings, and furniture.
Create a detailed inventory of damaged belongings with approximate values and original receipts where available.
Send your documentation to the landlord and keep copies for your own insurance claim.
Which insurance policies cover water damage in Germany, and how does personal liability insurance fit in?
Three types of insurance may apply, depending on what was damaged and who caused the leak. Of the three types of insurance, Feather only offers personal liability and household contents insurance.
Building insurance (Gebäudeversicherung) is held by the property owner or homeowners' association (WEG) and covers structural damage to walls, floors, ceilings, pipes, and fixed installations. Damages caused by any leak from any internal pipe or a connection attached to the mains supply (dishwasher, washing machine, shower, radiator), building insurance handles the structural damage first. It always processes structural damage first, regardless of who is at fault, because it pays at full replacement value while liability insurance pays only at depreciated value. The building insurer may contact your liability insurer directly to share costs after processing the structural damage claim if you were at fault.
Personal liability insurance (Privathaftpflichtversicherung) covers damage to other people's property with water originating in your apartment caused by a non-utility water source when you are at fault e.g., mopping the floor or overwatering plants. Personal liability insurance does not cover damage where you were not at fault.
Household contents insurance (Hausratversicherung) is a separate, optional policy that covers your own personal belongings if an external pipe burst damages them. It does not cover damage caused by overflowing taps or bathtubs, blocked drains, or water splashed during normal use. If you do not hold this policy, building insurance and personal liability insurance do not cover your personal belongings.
What does building insurance cover and what does it exclude for water damage?
Building insurance covers the cost of inspections to identify the leak source, professional drying of affected areas, and renovation costs such as floor repair, repainting walls, and replacing wallpaper. Building insurance does not cover furniture, personal belongings, non-structural items such as rugs or electronics, or any movable property — those are covered by contents insurance.
What can I do if my landlord refuses to file a building insurance claim?
By law, all property owners in multi-apartment buildings in Germany must hold building insurance, and tenants typically contribute to this coverage through their Nebenkosten (ancillary costs). If your landlord refuses to file a claim, take the following steps:
Ask your liability insurer to formally request that the landlord file a claim.
If the landlord still refuses, contact a Mieterverein (tenants' association) for guidance.
If the landlord claims the building insurance denied coverage, request a written denial letter — you are not obligated to pay for structural repairs without written confirmation.
Provide the denial letter to your liability insurer before proceeding further.
Do not pay for repairs yourself expecting reimbursement; always work through the proper insurance channels first.
How should I dry my apartment and prevent mold after water damage?
Start drying your apartment as soon as the area is safe. Use a wet/dry vacuum (Nasssauger), mop up standing water, open windows, and run dehumidifiers and fans.
For severe flooding or damage in hard-to-reach areas, such as behind walls or under floors, ask your landlord to arrange professional restoration services, since building insurance typically covers these costs.
Check hidden areas, such as under carpets, behind furniture, and along baseboards, for mold, since mold can begin growing within 24–48 hours of water exposure.
If you find mold, report it to your landlord immediately and ask them to contact a professional, since most insurance policies do not cover mold damage.
Does personal liability insurance cover damage to my own apartment or to shared and common areas in my building?
If you are the owner of the apartment where water damage occurred, personal liability insurance does not cover damage to your own apartment or your own belongings, since it only covers damage you caused to third-party property. Damage to your personal belongings may be covered by a separate household contents insurance policy (Hausratversicherung), and structural damage to your unit is handled through a building insurance claim submitted by your homeowners' association (WEG, or Wohnungseigentümergemeinschaft).
Damage to shared or common areas, such as hallways, stairwells, or communal facilities, is structural in nature and must be processed by the building insurance (Gebäudeversicherung) first, regardless of who caused the damage. If you were at fault, your personal liability insurance (Privathaftpflichtversicherung) may be called upon to share costs once the building insurer has processed the structural claim.
You can contact our support team for more assistance or additional resources.